Partial specs for 5G hardware receive approval from 3GPP members

The members of the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) have decided on new hardware standards for the upcoming 5G service that should debut in 2018 at the earliest. With the Non-Standalone (NSA) 5G New Radio (NR) specifications approved, suppliers will know exactly what they will have to build in order to meet the specs required by manufacturers. These specs will be published later this week. Matt Branda, the director of technical marketing at Qualcomm, said "This is really the step that enables vendors to start building equipment." The specs include support for low-frequency (600MHz, 700MHz), mid-range (3.5GHz) and high-frequency (50GHz) spectrum.

Getting some of these standards approved before the end of this year was the goal of many in the industry, including AT&T. Fast tracking the standards means that 3GPP members won't have to rush to get approval on new specs during the middle of next year. With the new standards in place, chip makers can start designing the new silicon based components that will work with 5G networks.


The 3GPP members will still have to approve the Standalone (SA) 5G specs, which probably won't happen until next June. But right now, we have taken the first "Mother may I?" step toward 5G service.

source: @3GPPLive via FierceWireless